Bill S
Masterpiece
Rob, Shhhhh the government has ears everywhere.
Pondy & RMJ Collecting
- Thread starter Brian Van Fleet
- Start date
october
Masterpiece
Good point........ err ummm.. I mean, I was just kidding..... I wouldn't give you more than $3 for that juniper.. In fact, in they pay me 3 bucks, I'll haul it away for them
Rob
Rob
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Good point........ err ummm.. I mean, I was just kidding..... I wouldn't give you more than $3 for that juniper.. In fact, in they pay me 3 bucks, I'll haul it away for them
Rob
Ah...a quick study. Very good Rob...I trust you have the tinfoil hat on
.Honestly; acquiring the $5.00 green tags are definitely the cheapest and easiest part. My round trip was 3500 miles.
Like IDIOTS, Friday morning, we got the tags and headed off into the wild with nothing more than a couple bottles of water...blinders firmly on. This is stupid...my buddy and I have been collecting together for 15 years. Just not here, and this was special and did I mention we are bonsai idiots?
After the first haul, at about 5 hours, we realized that we got so focused on collecting that we didn't bring any more than 2 apples between us. So we weren't really thinking about preservation at all. I was even sprinkling some of the water on the first root ball to keep it damp before it occurred to me. We were so far out that we didn't see another person from the time we left the forestry department until we got back to the hotel!
We would have been ok for the day, just hungry and we'd know better for the next day...then we got a "little lost"...this was after I stumbled on the bear den. Not too bad, except it was starting to get a little dark and my buddy was carrying 2, and had 2 pondys strapped to his back. I was carrying the big juniper and a pondy; plus all our gear. We were following a ridge, and took a shortcut, which took us off our route a little. After a few panicked moments and a lot of bushwhacking and climbing through pretty rugged terrain, we found our footprints and some loosened pondys that looked familiar. Back in business!
Saturday I think we took a case of water and enough food for an army; and found the best little collecting spot that never took us out of eyesight of the truck. Of course!
...now you know the rest of the story!
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Yamadori
Shohin
Great story. Glad you are both safe.
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fredtruck
Omono
What an adventure!
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Before anyone rushes out and starts digging, consider that expertise and plain old elbow grease are the currency of collecting. As noted above, there certainly is a cost and you continue paying it keeping the trees from expiring after you dig. Digging any tree that's worth collecting requires a lot more than a shovel (prybar, good location, permission, water, pick, saw, hand pruners, first aid kit, the list goes on...) and a $5 tag.
Attila Soos
Omono
So, this must be the prime season for collecting in this area. I assume that by mid-June, it would be too late.
When did the snow melt on that site?
When did the snow melt on that site?
october
Masterpiece
This story kind of reminds me about centuries ago, in Japan, they used to climb the mountains to bring back centuries old yamadori.. It was in such demand that, if I remember correctly, people would be waiting at the bottom of the mountain to purchase the material. These collectors used to risk their lives for these trees.. I am not sure if some even lost their lives...
Thanks for sharing that story.. I think that if I ever go collecting, it will be somewhere close to a road...lol... and probably smaller stock.
Rob
Thanks for sharing that story.. I think that if I ever go collecting, it will be somewhere close to a road...lol... and probably smaller stock.
Rob
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
@ rockm: you hit the nail on the head! Also, thanks for posting the shimpaku article, I was going to share that when I saw Rob's post...it is one of my favorite history articles on juniper bonsai.
@Attila: last weekend seemed to be about ideal. The pondys were just starting to push candles. D'trees were just opening, and the weekend prior they had snow...guessing it was a little late for snow, but collecting was prime.
@Attila: last weekend seemed to be about ideal. The pondys were just starting to push candles. D'trees were just opening, and the weekend prior they had snow...guessing it was a little late for snow, but collecting was prime.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
See Post #14 above...permits are $5...
mrchips1952
Yamadori
Can you devulge what national forest you dug these beauties? Dave / Colorado Springs
Not to be rude or anything, but get out and take a drive in the mts. WHen you see ground like in the pictures posted in these threads then get out of the truck and take a walk. That is what everyone does, you should feel very lucky that he posted pictures of what to look for.
You live in Colorado Springs, you apparently have no clue as to how close you are and how lucky you can be....its all within a 20 minute and 4 hour drive for you. Many people drive 2 days to get to your backyard. We all start with maps and covering hundreds of square miles per day.
Good luck.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
So, 3 of the pondys made their way down here last weekend. 1 is still in the ground in IA; the RMJs are in the ground in IA as well, and will stay there for a few more years. Here are 2 shots from this evening...they've done very well; the third...well, we'll see...
Attachments
Jason
Chumono
Great post. Make sure to keep giving us updates!
jferrier
Mame
Maybe I missed it, but what area of the country were these collected in?
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fredtruck
Omono
Great work, Brian. Good luck with the next steps.
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